Seal-padlock.



0. B; LAWLER. SEAL PADLOOK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1-911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912.

CLAUDE B. LAWLER, 0F AMARILLO, TEXAS.

SEAL-PADLOGK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 19, 1911.

Patented Apr. 30, 1912. Serial N 0. 634,034.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAUDE B. LAWLER, a male citizen of the United States, residing at Amarillo, in the county of Potter and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful SeaLPadlock, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in car seal looks.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of car seal locks, and to provide a combined car seal and padlock, adapted to afford greater protection to railroad companies, and equipped with means for supporting a seal in front of the key hole of the padlock, so that it will be impossible to insert the key and open the lock without first breaking the seal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combined seal and padlock from which the seal cannot be removed and replaced without showing plainly that the seal has been broken.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a front elevation of a combined car seal and padlock, constructed in accordance with this invention, the shackle of the lock being closed and the seal being in position. Fig. '2 is a sectional view of the same on the line 22 of Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the combined seal and padlock, the lock casing being partly broken away. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line M of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the seal engaging plunger. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the seal.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawing.

In the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, 1 designates a seal engaging plunger, mounted for reciprocation in a guide or frame 2 of approximately U-shape, arranged in a vertical position at the front face of a padlock casing 3, and composed of spaced sides and a connecting bottom portion and provided in its sides with vertical slots or ways 4 for the reception of a transverse pin 5 of the plunger. The guide or frame may be riveted to or cast integral with the padlock casing or otherwise rigidly mounted thereon, and it is covered and concealed within an outer shell or casing 6, but the guide or frame and the shell may be made in a single piece, if desired. The plunger 1 slides vertically between the sides of the guide or frame, and the transverse pin 5, which pierces the upper portion of the plunger, forms laterally projecting arms, which extend into the guide slots 1 of the sides of the frame or guide. The plunger is provided at its upper end with an inwardly extending horizontally disposed arm 7 projecting through an opening 8 in the front plate or section of the casing of the padlock, and extending into the path of and arranged to be engaged by the free end 9 of the pivoted shackle 10 of the padlock, whereby when the shackle is swung to its closed position, the plunger will be depressed and moved in engagement with a seal 11.

The sides of the frame or guide are provided at their lower portions with openings 14 and 15, forming a transverse passage for the inner engaged end of the seal 11, which extends across the key hole 16 of the padlock, so that it will be impossible to insert a key and open the padlock without first breaking the seal. The inner engaged end of the seal is provided at its upper edge with a recess 17 into which extends a head 18, formed integral with the lower end of the plunger 1. The head of the plunger is maintained in engagement with the recess of the seal by the shackle of the padlock, and each seal is designed to bear identifying matter for indicating a station or other point where the seal is applied, or for affording analogous information.

The seal is designed to be constructed of hard brittle metal, and is reduced at the center to provide a thin intermediate portion 17*, which is adapted to be easily broken to enable a key to be inserted, in the padlock. The outer portions of the seal are sulliciently thick to fit loosely within the transverse passage of the guide and within an opening 19 of a support 20, mounted on the padlock in spaced relation with the guide or frame and located at the side of the key hole opposite that atwhich the guide or frame is arranged. The support 20, which receives the outer end of the seal, consists of a loop, which may be rigidly mounted on the front of the lock casing in any preferred manner.

The transverse passage formed by the openings 14: and 15 of the guide or frame is closed at the outer side by the shell or casing, and when the shackle is opened, the plunger 1 is automatically raised or moved outwardly by a coiled spring 21 to permit the broken portion of the seal to drop out of the guide or frame. The outer end of the coiled spring bears against a shoulder 22 at the outer portion of the plunger, and the inner end of the coiled spring engages a suitable stop 23 of the frame or guide.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a padlock, of means mounted on the padlock for supporting a seal on the padlock across the key hole thereof, and a plunger movable into and out of engagement with the seal and adapted to lock the same in the said supporting means and arranged to be operated by the shackle of the padlock.

2. The combination with a padlock, of means mounted thereon for supporting a seal exterior to the padlock across the key hole thereof, a plunger slidably mounted on the padlock and movable into and out of engagement with the seal, said seal and plunger having co-acting interlocking parts and the said plunger being arranged in the path of and adapted to be moved into engagement with the seal by the shackle of the padlock in the closing movement thereof.

3. The combination of a padlock provided in its casing with an opening, a shell attached to the wall of the padlock over the opening, means for supporting a seal upon the casing of the padlock across the key hole thereof, and a plunger mounted in the shell and movable into and out of engagement with the seal and having an arm extending through the said opening into the path of the shackle of the padlock, whereby the plunger is moved into engagement with the seal by the said shackle in the closing movement thereof.

a. The combination with a padlock, of means for supporting a seal on the exterior of the padlock across the key hole thereof, a slidably mounted plunger arranged to engage the seal and located in the path of and adapted to be actuated by the shackle of the padlock in the closing movement thereof, said plunger and seal having co-acting in terlocking parts, and a spring for moving the plunger outwardly from the seal when the shackle is opened.

5. The combination with a padlock, of a vertical guide exteriorly mounted on the casing of the padlock and provided adjacent to the key hole thereof with a transverse passage adapted to support a seal across the key hole of the padlock, a plunger slidably mounted in the guide and provided at its lower end with means for engaging the seal and having an arm at its upper portion arranged in the path of the shackle of the padlock.

6. The combination of a padlock, a seal support exteriorly mounted on the padlock at one side of the key hole and having an opening adapted to receive one end of a seal, a guide mounted on the padlock at the opposite side of the key hole and having a transverse passage arranged to receive the other end of the seal, said support and guide being adapted to support the seal across the key hole, and a plunger mounted in the guide and having an arm extending in wardly and arranged in the path of the shackle of the padlock and movable by the same into engagement with the seal.

7. The combination with a padlock, a seal support located at one side of the key hole of the padlock and having an opening, a guide located at the opposite side of the key hole and provided with a transverse passage, a seal having its ends arranged in the passage of the guide and in the opening of the support and provided with a recess located in the guide and a plunger having a head for engaging the recess of the seal, said plunger also having a portion arranged to be actuated by the shackle of the padlock in the closing movement of the same.

8. The combination with a padlock, of a guide located at one side of the key hole of the padlock and having a transverse seal receiving passage and provided with opposite ways, a plunger arranged in the guide and having laterally extending arms operating in the said ways, said plunger being arranged to be actuated by the shackle of the padlock in the closing movement of the same and adapted to engage and retain a seal in the transverse passage of the guide.

9. The combination of a padlock, of a seal having a relatively thin portion overlying the keyhole and a heavier portion provided with a recess, and a plunger arranged to engage within the recess, said plunger also arranged to be actuated by the shackle of the padlock in the closing movement of the same.

10. The combination with a padlock, of a seal support, a seal having one portion overlying the keyhole and another portion arranged in the seal support and provided with a recess, a plunger arranged to enter the support and engage Within the recess of the seal, said plunger also arranged to be actuated by the shackle of the padlock in the closing movement of the same.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

CLAUDE B. LAWLER.

Witnesses:

W. L. MQLYNEAUX, CLAUD KINNEBREW.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. O. 

